Unbending the Winding Path of a Low-Income Country’s Energy Sector amid the COVID-19 Pandemic: Perspectives from Malawi

Collen Zalengera,Vincent Mwale,Maxon L Chitawo,Long Seng To,Kondwani T Gondwe,Timeyo Maroyi,Isaac Chitedze

doi:10.3390/en14217184

Abstract

This paper discusses the impact of COVID-19’s vulnerability context on Malawi’s Energy Sector and outlines mechanisms for enhancing Malawi’s energy-sector resilience based on experiences from a range of stakeholders. The investigation was conducted online by inviting purposively selected stakeholders to create presentations responding to thematic questions. The final sample had 19 stakeholders with representation from policy-makers, regulatory bodies, national grid supply players, off-grid players, development agencies, bankers, professional bodies, civil society, and women’s rights bodies. The presentations from the stakeholders highlighted how COVID-19 affects the operation costs of energy systems and implementation of energy systems projects in areas that require stimulus packages to contain energy system delivery costs and prevent disruption of essential services amid the COVID-19 pandemic. These services include stakeholder responses to COVID-19 in the energy sector, the role of digital payments particularly when purchasing electricity units, and the state of third-party service providers such as banks and mobile network operators to enhance preparedness and continuity of operations for the energy sector. Based on the findings in these thematic areas and an application of systems thinking in the analysis, the paper finally makes recommendations on how Malawi and similar low-income countries can strategise to enhance energy systems resilience.

Highlights

This study investigated the impact of COVID-19 on the energy sector in Malawi
The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the energy sector in Malawi are categorised by the following components of the energy value chain: (i) development of energy projects, (ii) energy utility companies, (iii) operational costs of utility companies, and (iv) energy demand and consumption in selected sectors
The energy sector variables are factors liable to change over time as a result of either external or internal shocks

Summary

Introduction

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was classified and declared as a global pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in February 2020 [1]. June 2020, COVID-19 had spread to 216 countries and territories, infecting approximately. Governments have adopted COVID-19 containment and preventive measures to inhibit infections of the disease. The containment measures included travel restrictions, self-quarantine or self-isolation for fourteen days for those suspected to have been in contact with an infected person or were travelling from countries or regions with a high risk of COVID-19 cases; social distancing, working from home, frequent washing of hands with soap or use of alcohol-based hand sanitiser, and investment in personal protective equipment (PPE) for workers [1,7,8,9,10]. Some states have invested in expanding the capacity of health facilities, including the construction of new hospitals, the establishment of isolation centres, increasing the number of beds and equipment such as ventilators, and the capacity of oxygen production facilities [1,7]

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